PM Orbán tells Israeli newspaper that Hungary's political position is zero tolerance on anti-Semitism

Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has said that Hungary's political position is zero tolerance on anti-Semitism, and “we will never tolerate any kind of anti-Semitic approach to issues”.

The prime minister said that both the Hungarian right and the Jewish community need to invest energy in laying the foundations of mutual trust because for historical reasons their relationship is difficult.

PM Orbán made the remarks during an interview with the Israeli newspaper Israel Today. He added that there are members of Parliament who have made anti-Semitic gestures, and there are parties that have accepted them.

“I cannot say that Jobbik is anti-Semitic as an entire party, but certain gestures, programs, people and approaches which are clearly anti-Semitic are seen by them as acceptable," the prime minister said.

The prime minister said that “the communists and the left” regularly level accusations of anti-Semitism against even those who are clearly not anti-Semitic. He said that these accusations are unfair, and "there are no facts to prove them, but they still keep making the accusations”.

PM Orbán said that his relationship with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is based on mutual trust, and is something he greatly values.

The prime minister described Israel’s approach to moderate Arab states as a shared European interest which may help to reduce the danger of migration threatening Europe.